


life was a willow

by Cait1in



Category: Percy Jackson & The Olympians (Movies), Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Fosters (TV 2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Angst, F/M, Foster Care, Friends to Lovers, Mostly Fluff, Slow Burn, a little bit of a slow burn, dont worry they dont get together while living together, kinda based off the fosters, not much angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:00:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28667388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cait1in/pseuds/Cait1in
Summary: Percy's newest foster sibling is a closed off, pretty girl his age, Annabeth. she was supposed to be there temporarily while they try to find her dad after the death of her mother. during their junior year of high school, the two form an unbreakable bond and have to deal with the ups and downs of high school, friends, love, family, foster family, and drama.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	life was a willow

Percy measures his life by his best days.   
He always remembers the best days of his life. He loves living in the moment, knowing it could define him for the rest of his life. He loves looking back and realizing that that one day that seemed ordinary changed his life for the better. 

The day that he was adopted by his foster mom, Sally Jackson stands out. He knew they were family before that, he doesn't remember anything else other than her. But to have it on paper, to have that framed photo in the living room of a gap-toothed five year old percy, and Sally, smiling and crying, means everything to him. He started to call her mom long before that, but he will always remember the look on her face when he called her mom that day, and she called him son. 

Another best day for Percy would be the day he met Grover, his best friend. Percy was starting middle school, and when he entered the bus, and was nervous and desperate to find an empty seat, grover called out and said that he could sit with him. Actually having a friend, a best friend, a brother defined his middle school experience, even with the bullies and homework, it was good, because of grover. 

Other best days are whenever he gets a new foster sibling, and watches them grow and become happier in his home because his mom is amazing. He always counts those first days for the other kids as his best days because he remembers that feeling, and knows it is a good day for them.   
So it was nothing new when after swim practice in the beginning junior year of high school, he was introduced to a new girl staying with his family, and he counted it as a good day. A best day.   
Looking back, that day is even better than all the rest, because that was the day he met Annabeth. 

***

Annabeth always remembers the worst days of her life.   
She tries not to. She really does. But they always stand out. 

Because some of the worst days lead to the best memories. You can't have the good without the bad, but it's just that Annabeth has seen a lot of bad. 

She remembers the fights between her and her mother, making her run away multiple times.   
The fighting and the running was terrible but she was able to meet some good people like luke and thalia. But then, she lost them. Thalia ran off with other people when luke got bad, laving Annabeth alone to go back home. She had a lot of bad days with luke in the end, when he changed, no wonder thalia left. 

And the worst day. 

The day her mom died. 

Leading to so many more bad days. The wake, the funeral, the social workers and child services trying to find her dad. The promises of continuing the search as they throw her into foster care for the start of high school.   
She has to change schools, leaving behind everything she knows, multiple times. And again in junior year, when her foster family decides they can't care for so many kids, leaving her stranded yet again.   
It seems like now, every day is a terrible day. Each day has gotten worse and worse for the past few years.

When she is welcomed into her new temporary home to warm smiles and cookies and Sally Jackson and the kids, she thinks, most days will be bad, but there have been worse.   
Because that was the day that she met Percy. 

***

Percy walks up the front porch steps of his house, and opens the door.  
He calls out to his mom, “Hey, I'm home!”   
He knows she is probably in the backyard writing her book, or in the kitchen setting up dinner.   
Percy can't wait to tell his mom he made co-captain, as a junior!  
He walks through the living room, seeing Hazel and Nico, his foster siblings, playing video games. 

“Hey Percy, how was practice?” Hazel asked. 

“Really good actually, have you seen mom?”

Nico answered, “showing the new girl around.” he doesn't look at Percy, keeping his focus on the TV, desperately trying to not lose to Hazel, like always. 

As Percy makes his way to the kitchen, his mom calls out, “Nico and Hazel, get your butts in here and set the table please!” 

They follow Percy into the kitchen. Percy can hear her talking to someone, giving the same speech as always, about how this is a safe place, not like other foster homes, and how we are a family and so on. 

They haven't had a new kid in a while, for the past two years it's just been Percy, Nico and Hazel, ever since Tyson went to college. Sometimes, kids stay here until they grow out of the system, like Tyson, or get adopted like Percy. But a lot of the time, they don't stay long, usually given back to their parents or other family.   
Sally always tries to make the time the kids have here good, so they feel safe, and happy. 

When Percy walked into the kitchen, he smelt the lasagna that Sally was currently taking out of the oven, and noticed the girl standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen. 

As Sally set the lasagna down, nico and hazel got plates and silverware out. 

The girl looked up, seeming to analyze everyone and everything in the room with her fierce gaze. 

“OH! Percy, how was the first swim practice of the season?” his mom asked. 

“I was made captain. Well, co-captain, since i'm a junior, with becondoarf.'' He was really excited and nervous to have the responsibility. He is the best on the team but doesn't really like all the attention. He's really glad that Beckendorf, a senior, is also captain. 

Even though he's really happy,, and wanted to share the news with his family, he wanted the focus off him, and noticed how quiet the new girl was, and wanted to talk to her, help her. 

“I’m Percy by the way, and you are?” he says to the blonde girl, who looks around his age. 

With her arms folded across her chest, leaning against the counter, she qurtly replies, “Annabeth.”

“Annabeth, sweetie you can take a seat. I think we are about ready to eat.” Sally says. 

She still waits for everyone else to sit. Sally at the head, Nico and Percy on one side, and Hazel on the other. Slowly, she sits down next to Hazel. 

Sally continues, “my husband, paul, is still at work, he's a teacher at the school you are going to go to, he has a bunch of meetings tonight for the new school year. And also, Percy is also a junior, so I'm sure he can show you around and help you out when you start.”

Percy pauses wolfing down the delicious lasagna to say “yeah definitely, no problem, i'd be happy to help out.”

Annabeth just nods. 

So Percy tries to give her an encouraging smile, but it's set off by the food on the side of his mouth. It does seem to amuse her, because she smiles a little and shakes her head, before focusing on her dinner.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! more to come soonn :)


End file.
